Koi Symbolism & Meaning

Koi Symbolism & Meaning

Want a greater sense of unity with your family? Does serenity always seem just out of reach? Koi as a Spirit, Totem, and Power Animal can help! Koi teaches to live in reciprocity with all of nature! Delve deeply in Koi symbolism and meaning to find out how this animal spirit guide can support, inspire, and calm you!

Koi Table of Contents

Koi Symbolism & Meaning

In Japan, Koi have many inspiring titles including “swimming flowers” and “living jewels.” It’s really no wonder. Koi are delightfully alluring. Watching them swim feels so relaxing and engaging at the same time. The name Koi simply means Carp, and they along with Goldfish come with an abundance of symbolism, meaning, myths and attributes worthy of notice. So, let’s go to Fish “School.”

Like most of our Spirit Animal friends, the natural characteristics of Koi impact what we believe to be their energetic signature. For example. Koi will swim UP waterfalls and streams to a specific destination. This determination and courage give them the qualities of tenacity, dedication, bravery, and fortitude.

As Koi became more popular for water features their cost went up. Large Koi can cost over $1,000.00 USD. Over time that cost turned into associating Koi with wealth, prosperity and success. Add the fact that Asian people feel owing Koi draws positive, lucky energy and you have a winning combination.

In their environment, Koi are not quick to fight. They generally have a good relationship with everyone, which makes them ideal for settings with mixed Fish Koi groups. In this respect, Koi symbolize community cooperation and peace.

People who work with Chi Energy say that having a Koi pond improves serenity throughout the area. Auspicious vibrations fill the land, house, and residents. It also enhances family connections for harmony and unity.

Buddhists use Koi as an emblem of persistence. It is said that humans must navigate dangerous waters just as Koi do. These fish seem to take the idea of perseverance to a whole new level. Also, from a spiritual perspective, it’s the mission of the soul to remain focused on enlightenment no matter the stormy seas of life. Koi shows us how to do so with grace and finesse.

Koi Spirit Animal

When Koi comes swimming colorfully into your life rejoice. This is a powerful Spirit Animal who brings improved finances in his wake. Watch for new opportunities that you never anticipated, but seem to “fit” your goals and ideals perfectly.

Koi do not offer these blessings without balance. This is your time for making changes. Release yourself, accept healing, open your mind. Don’t give up on those unfinished projects. If they’re important, work on them. Otherwise, give your efforts in their current form to another and turn your attention to the new horizon. Koi says, “Dare to dream and dream BIG.”

If your Koi Spirit Animal has a specific color, that in itself is a message for you. The White Koi with red near its mouth (like lipstick) says to focus on our relationships. Make them healthy and strong. One with a white body and red mark on its head indicates that you can advance in your career now if you make the right choices. Gold Carp tells you that wealth is on the way but warns to use it wisely. This chance may not present itself again.

Perhaps the most important message from Koi Spirit Animal is one of achievement. Do not let the waves of negativity, anger, self-doubt, etc. beat you down! You can rise above the water, breath and adapt. When you release those weights, you can swim unhindered. There will always be setbacks, but learning how to use what we learned from them is what eventually leads to personal fulfillment.

Koi Totem Animal

Those born with a Koi Totem Animal rarely have to worry about making ends meet. Money flows into your hands when you most need it. As the saying goes, you’ve got the golden touch. This is not simply on-going “windfalls,” but rather your honest efforts to make sure you and those you love life in security. More importantly, in those rare moments when adversity strikes you remain calm and begin taking actions that create the necessary changes.

If this is your Birth Totem, it’s especially important to trust your heart. Sometimes you brush off your intuition when you actually need it most. This is how Koi navigate life. Stay “in tune.”

The Koi person’s spirit is bubbly, positive and can see beauty where others cannot. You love socialization. You gather friends into your sphere. Those you choose as “forever” companions are very lucky as you will always try to help them achieve their highest potentials. Having said that Koi have an independent streak that comes out randomly. All of a sudden you find yourself a comfortable hiding hole and simply tread there for a while to get your bearings. Koi do not like feeling pressured or manipulated into taking a course of action.

As a water creature Koi people would do well to attune themselves to the Water Element and find ways of using that spiritually. You may take specially prepared cleansing baths, for example. Or go out and take a walk near a river or lake, focusing on the sensations Water brings.

Overall, the Koi Totem Animal speaks of someone who finds that proverbial silver lining no matter what’s going on. This makes for a happy life where you find contentment in your personal pond. Enjoy it!

Koi Power Animal

Reach out to Koi as a Power Animal when you simply can’t get out of a rut. Koi helps us get into the flow of things. If you stay where you are you will never grow or resolve your problems. Stagnant water is not “living” – so get those fins moving. Other ways that the Koi Power Animal can assist include:

Bringing about a necessary change.

Getting emotions under control.

Times of renewal.

When your warrior spirit dwindles.

For swimming upstream to reach that goal (sometimes it’s ok to go against the flow).

Koi as a Symbol in Legends

There are two famous legends about Koi. The first begins at Dragon’s Gate that topped a tall waterfall at the Yellow River. Carp could not swim up the river. The current was too harsh. Only a few decided to try leaping up the rough waters. If a Carp ever succeeded in reaching the top, he would become a Dragon, which represents power and authority. This story speaks of people who find creative ways of handling what seems to be impossible situations.

The second is that the Koi swims up rivers and climbs waterfalls with the brave heart of a Samurai. When caught, the Carp lies still at peace with his fate. These tales resonate with the on-going Koi themes of attainment, courage, overcoming, and strength.

Koi Dreams

Koi appearing in your dreams can be interpreted in many ways including:

A time to put down your pride as it is pushing people away.

A situation in which you must be patient, persevere and be ready to tackle any obstacle in your path.

Do not fear. A new opportunity is on the horizon.

Koi in a pond represents friendship or true love.

Two Koi speak of balancing the Sacred Feminine and Masculine energies within yourself.

Gold Koi portend good luck, wealth and longevity.

A single Koi swimming represents your sense of independence.

Black Koi talk of a personal battle is coming to an end. Stay strong. This Koi also represents the father of a family.

Red Koi suggest intense love is blossoming in your life.

Orange Koi represent the mother of a family and nurturing.

Pink represents youthful outlooks.

Blue Koi mean that you will finally settle on a sense of peace with your current struggles.

Koi in Astrology & Zodiac Signs

In the system of Western Astrology, the sign of Pisces corresponds with a glyph featuring two fish swimming in a circle, with the two creatures going in opposite directions. Sometimes the fish are depicted as colorful Koi.

Often times, the Koi are tied together at the tail. In Greek Myth, Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, and Eros (Cupid), were trying to conceal themselves from Typhon; when doing so, they shapeshifted into Koi and jumped into the water nearby.

Pisces is the sign for people born between February 19 and March 20. A Piscean personality is one that is kind, introverted, quiet, contemplative, and deeply sensitive. They prefer the realm of emotion versus the world of the physical.

It takes a considerable time for a Pisces to learn to trust. Being sensitive, the Pisces born are emotionally injured with incredible ease, and such injuries endure, sometimes for years or even an entire lifetime. But it is this same emotionally sensitivity that makes Pisces people exceptional friends and lovers.